South Korea coach Hong Myung-Bo quits after criticism from President Lee Jae over World Cup exit

South Korea’s head coach, Hong Myung-bo, has resigned from his position after his side’s group-stage exit from the World Cup and harsh condemnation from the country’s president, who called the coach “incapable.”

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The 57-year-old former captain, in his second stint as coach, oversaw an early World Cup departure for the second time.

South Korea were expected to get out of a Group A that included the co-hosts Mexico as well as South Africa and Czechia. But they lost 1-0 against South Africa and Mexico, and finished on three points, their only success a 2-1 win against Czechia.

“Over the past two years I asked myself the same question whenever I had to make important decisions, select players or prepare for training session and matches: ‘Is this the right choice for Korean football?’” Hong told reporters in Mexico, according to Yonhap News Agency. “I can not say every decision has been the right one, but I can tell you that I have made every decision with Korean football in mind.”

Hong’s resignation came hours after South Korea’s president, Lee Jae Myung, lashed out at the team’s performance, pointing the finger at “incompetent people” and apologising to the nation.

“When loyalty and factionalism are valued over competence, and incompetent people are appointed to leadership positions, the outcome is all but inevitable,” Lee said in a post on X. “I offer my deepest apologies to the public for the profound disappointment caused by this unacceptable outcome. We will move swiftly to reform sports administration to ensure that nothing like this happens again,” he added, without elaborating.

South Korea police say that they are watching for security threats at Incheon Airport and other locations after a death threat was made online against Hong on his return to Korea over the weekend, local media reported.